GetResponse vs Mailchimp
Features, use cases, pros and cons, and pricing side by side — and which one to pick.
Best for: Ecommerce stores that want cart recovery, AI product recommendations, and triggered email in one place, Creators and course sellers monetizing knowledge through courses, premium newsletters, and webinars
Read the full GetResponse reviewBest for: Small businesses that want email and SMS marketing in one tool, Ecommerce stores running on Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, or Squarespace
Read the full Mailchimp reviewCommission may apply at no extra cost
GetResponse vs Mailchimp: features compared
Compare key features side by side
Feature Comparison Summary
Which should you choose?
Choose GetResponse if
- You sell courses, webinars, or premium newsletters — GetResponse bundles them.
- You want 24/7 email and chat support on every plan.
- You want landing pages, SMS, and web push in one platform.
Choose Mailchimp if
- You need the widest integration library — 300+ apps.
GetResponse vs Mailchimp: pros and cons
GetResponse
GetResponse bundles email, automation, landing pages, SMS, and web push into one dashboard, with AI that drafts copy and picks send times. Ecommerce and creator monetization tools add real value, but the entry plan caps AI use, seats, and segmentation. Overall, it's a solid pick for stores and creators who want one connected system.
Pros
- Email, automation, landing pages, forms, SMS, and web push all run from one dashboard, so lists and customer data stay in sync instead of fragmenting across separate tools.
- AI features do concrete work — the email generator drafts campaign copy, send-time optimization picks the best hour per contact, and the landing page builder writes copy and selects layouts for you.
- Ecommerce tooling is built in on the Marketer plan and above — abandoned cart recovery, sales funnels, promo codes with revenue reports, and AI product recommendations for site and email.
Cons
- AI usage is capped on the entry plan — Starter limits the AI content generators to just 3 uses, which can run out quickly if you produce campaigns weekly.
- User seats are restricted per tier (3 on Starter, 5 on Marketer and Creator), so growing teams hit seat limits before hitting contact limits and must jump to Enterprise for unlimited users.
- There is no permanent free plan — only a 14-day trial, after which premium features drop off, leaving 1,000 monthly landing page visits and a GetResponse badge on every message.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp pairs a genuinely usable free tier with polished email design, strong automations, and 300+ integrations, though costs climb with your contact count and top features sit behind pricier tiers. Overall, it's a dependable starting point for small businesses and ecommerce stores — just watch for automatic overage billing.
Pros
- Genuinely usable free tier — 250 contacts, 500 sends per month, popup forms, and core campaign tools with no credit card required to start, plus a 14-day trial on all paid plans
- Email and SMS managed in one platform, with Mailchimp reporting up to a 97% higher click rate for US users who send both channels versus email alone
- Automation scales with your plan — flows up to 4 steps on Essentials and up to 200 steps with branching on Standard — with vendor-reported figures of up to 8x more orders for paid-plan automation users
Cons
- Costs scale with your contact count and overage fees are billed automatically rather than pausing campaigns, so an unexpected list spike can inflate your bill
- The Free plan is tight — 1 seat, 1 audience, 250 contacts, 500 sends per month capped at 250 per day, sending pauses at limits, and email support only for the first 30 days
- SMS marketing is a paid-plan add-on in select countries that requires an application and approval (typically 2-5 business days), and unused monthly credits expire with no rollover
GetResponse and Mailchimp in detail
GetResponse
GetResponse is an email marketing and automation platform for entrepreneurs, ecommerce stores, and larger brands. It combines email campaigns, autoresponders, marketing automation, landing pages, a website builder, SMS, web push notifications, webinars, and course monetization tools. The site says 350,000+ customers worldwide use it, from solo creators to global names like Red Bull, Unicef, and Carrefour. If you want one system for list growth, selling, and retention, this aims to cover it.
Standout features
- Email marketing that writes and times itself
- Automation that runs your follow-ups
- Landing pages live in minutes
- More ways to reach customers
Use cases
- Recover abandoned carts automatically
- Sell courses, newsletters, and webinars
- Run email, pages, and automation together
- Switch tools without the stress
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is an email and SMS marketing platform owned by Intuit. It helps small businesses, ecommerce stores, non-profits, and professional services grow their audience and drive sales. You get a drag-and-drop email builder, marketing automations, AI content tools, reporting, and 300+ integrations with tools like Shopify, Canva, and Salesforce. Plans run from a basic free option up to Premium, so it can scale as your contact list grows.
Standout features
- Design emails without a designer
- Automations that keep working after you hit send
- Reach customers on email and SMS
- Connect the apps you already use
- Test, target, and improve every send
Use cases
- Send your first campaign with confidence
- Turn store data into automatic sales
- Reach customers on email and SMS
- Keep your community engaged
Pricing compared
List prices from each vendor's pricing page, before taxes and add-ons. Costs are per month.
| Pricing compared | GetResponse | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| From (cheapest paid plan) | $19/mo Starter | $20/mo Standard |
| Free plan | No | Yes Max 250 contacts; sending pauses if contact or email send limits are exceeded |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
| Money-back guarantee | Not stated | Not stated |
| Annual billing savings | Up to 18% | — |
| Pricing model | Flat price | Flat price |
| Cost for 1 user | $15.58/mo Starter plan, billed annually | FreeCheaper Free plan, billed annually |
| Cost for 5 users | $59/mo Marketer plan, billed monthly | $20/mo Standard plan, billed monthly · price per account (user limit not stated) |
| Cost for 10 users | — | $20/mo Standard plan, billed monthly · price per account (user limit not stated) |
| Cost for 25 users | — | $20/mo Standard plan, billed monthly · price per account (user limit not stated) |
| Plans | 4 | 4 |
| Prices checked | Vendor page checked Oct 12, 2026 | Vendor page checked Oct 13, 2026 |
| Price history | Tracking prices since Oct 1, 2026. No price change detected yet. | Tracking prices since Oct 1, 2026. No price change detected yet. |
- Cheapest plan that fits each team size. Per-user plans are multiplied by the number of users (respecting stated minimums and seat packs). Plans that include some users cost their base price plus the extra-user price for each user beyond those included. Flat-priced plans with no stated user limit are counted as one licence per user.
Cheaper for your team size
For 1 user (billed annually), Mailchimp costs $0/mo vs GetResponse at $15.58/mo.
- Only Mailchimp has a free plan.
Computed from published list prices on the dates shown. Excludes taxes, add-ons and promotions.
More comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Do both offer free trials?
Yes. Both offer 14-day free trials, and neither requires a credit card to start. You can test email, automations, and core features before paying.
Which handles webinars and courses?
GetResponse. Its Creator plan includes webinars for up to 100 attendees and a course creator with 0% transaction fees. Mailchimp doesn't offer webinar or course tools.